STEM students share inspirations, adviceA panel of students interested in science, technology, engineering and math told audience members at the fifth annual Urban Education Institute at North Carolina A&T why they are pursuing STEM careers and shared ideas for sparking more interest in these fields. High-school senior Gerrell Bynum was motivated to pursue a STEM education because he wanted to know how his favorite video games worked. A&T biology major Phillip Thomas said helping younger students identify STEM career possibilities can make a huge difference in their lives. Diverse: Issues In Higher Education
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NASA challenges students to build Orion radiation shieldNASA has created a design and engineering challenge it hopes will inspire students in their study of science -- and possibly give them a chance to see their own creation flown on the Orion space capsule. The Exploration Design Challenge allows students from kindergarten to high school to learn about space radiation and how to shield astronauts from its effects, and to develop a radiation shield themselves. Five teams will get to test their shield in a simulator and it's possible one design will actually fly in 2014 on the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle. Space.com
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Maine students learn about STEM careers from Vanderbilt researchersFourth- and fifth-graders at Surry Elementary School in Maine, and in other schools throughout the state, are learning how scientists do their work through a weekly teleconference with researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The curriculum is part of the center's Aspirnaut program, created to interest students in science, technology, engineering and math. "Every Vanderbilt instructor starts the lesson by discussing with the kids his or her own personal interest in science or math and what career field they're in. Kids start to think, 'Hey, that could be me,'" principal Cathy Lewis said. Bangor Daily News (Maine) (free registration)
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Business

Portal provides Mass. college students access to tech internshipsTo help college students find internship opportunities in the state and possibly their first job, the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative has created the Intern Partnership program where students can access job opportunities in fields such as robotics, mobile communications and education technology. The program also provides financial support for smaller companies and startups, so they can pay their interns at rates that are competitive with larger employers. BostInno (Boston)
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Skilled worker shortage is largest threat to industry, study findsA lack of skilled workers is the largest threat to the global oil industry, according to nearly one-third of respondents in a report issued by jobs board OilCareers.com. The shortage is particularly serious in the subsea and liquefied natural gas sectors, the report stated. "It is clear, though, that the industry must concentrate on developing the workforce in order to ensure knowledge is passed on and the required experience is in place to manage the world's oil and gas reserves," said Mark Guest, managing director of OilCareers.com. FuelFix.com
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Auto industry a growing home for aerospace engineersMuch of the engineering associated with the field of aerospace can be applied to the auto industry. And engineers trained in developing lightweight materials and exploring aerodynamics in the former field are finding welcoming homes in an auto industry increasingly focusing on the same problems and hiring the people who can help. Financial Post (Canada)
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